Friday, November 25, 2016

Anne Conley has put all of her books on sale for only .99 for Black Friday ONLY, so grab them while they’re cheap—from contemporary romance in small town Texas, to gripping romantic suspense in Austin, to the archangels falling to earth in Paranormal Romance, to her stand-alone novels. They’re all on sale! Stories of Serendipity, Pierce Securities, Four Winds, and the Book B!tches all have their prices cut way low to fill your e-reader with steamy reads to heat up your holidays.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Though there is war and unrest in the world, on August 15th, on a farm in upstate New York, a little concert will go down in history as the most famous music festival of our time: Woodstock. It also happens to be the day Bonnie McMillan and Peter Hampton meet and begin their free-spirited love-filled journey with each other.

Fast forward forty-seven years. Bonnie unexpectedly passes after a night of hot sex and is whisked up to Purgatory, ‘The Green Room’ as they call it. Bonnie’s best friend meets her at the pearly green gates and the fun begins, from body sculpting to channeling.

Follow Bonnie on her erotically incorrect quest to re-connect with the love of her life. Or at the very least, make sure the sex toys are hidden before the kids start sorting through her things!

Professionally? I’ve been narrating for over 3 years now. But I’ve been reading stories out loud for as long as I’ve been a reader. I was the kid in class first to raise my hand when the teacher asked for someone to read aloud. And I’m not ashamed to admit that I read out loud to my cats and my husband all the time. Usually in a silly accent.

What is your favorite genre to narrate and why?

Currently, my favorite genres are Urban Fantasy and just about anything Paranormal related. Horror, fantasy, sci-fi… I love all of these genres because the stories take you out of your norm and you have to suspend disbelief to get lost in the worlds. I particularly adore UF because it takes the element of the familiar (our world-ish) and asks “What if <xyz> was real?” I love the ideas behind a hidden world within our own where magic and non-human beings exist.

When you ‘get into character’ what movitates you?

That’s a good question! It truly depends on the character, to be honest. I try to find something to connect with in that character’s experience. Like, most of us can relate to the pain of having your heart broken by someone you love, or being embarrassed about something, feeling like you don’t belong… I try to find the human element and connect with it to make that character feel like a living, breathing being. I put myself in the character’s shoes and use that as the base.

Do you like input from your authors?

Always. I love when an author gives me characterizations for their creations. Accents, a little back story, how *the author* sees the characters. It gives me a jumping off point when I go into it because I know what the author is thinking in regards to their characters. That way, when I do the read through, I at least have an idea of what I should be expecting out of that particular character, if that makes sense.

On the flip side, I hate micromanagement. By that, I mean… give me your characterization, but let me interpret the performance, if that makes sense. A lot of authors fall into this trap where they envision themselves as both script-writer AND director, but forget that the best directors usually give their performers the autonomy to “perform”. You have to have the courage to let go and trust that I’m going to do right by your work, even if it isn’t exactly as you anticipated in your head while writing.

So, you got the audition request for Desperately Seeking Sixty-Nine. What made you accept it? Was there something about the story line that drew you in?

I was drawn in by the concept first, and the characters second. The first chapter hit me in such a visceral way. Even during the narration, there were two points specifically where I had to stop to recompose because the emotions of Pete just hit me in such a primal place I was literally in tears. But it was the balance of that with the humor that really drew me in. I love silly, over-the-top humor and was intrigued by the idea of playing an “older” character, as it were, with the same lust for life as someone much younger.

What drives Hollie Jackson?

Aside from my perpetual cheerleader Dragon? LOL. Honestly, I’m motivated by my fans, both authors and listeners. I feel like there are so many great stories out there that deserve to be experienced, but are only hitting one part of the market. There are a growing number of people who love the concept of reading a story and getting immersed in a world, but don’t have the time (or the abilities) to do so. My goal is to make sure that they get that chance. We live in a society founded by storytelling. History itself is a set of stories passed down. Oral storytelling is an art form, one I’m honored to be a part of.

Do you have a career outside of narrating?

Actually, aside from being co-author with Dragon on our own series, The Nemesis Chronicles, narration IS my career. I quit working my former job 3 years ago to go full-time with this, and I’m still going strong. I love what I do and honestly cannot see myself doing anything else.

How many audio books are in your repertoire?

Presently, almost 400, spanning 4 different companies. With another 100 or so in queue.

What is Hollie’s favorite thing to do?

Oh, man. If you ask Dragon, it’d be playing video games and surfing the web. But my favorite thing will always be reading. I always have a book or something nearby, not just the projects I work on.

Tell us something about yourself and your hobbies.

Something about myself… I have my bachelor’s degree in Psychology. It’s come in amazingly handy when dealing with society at large and the intricacies of human interaction. Hobby-wise… I do a lot of reading, I write, I edit. I’m a crafting hound. SO many crafts. I have, what has been affectionately dubbed around here as “Crafting ADD”. I knit, crochet, create polymer minis. I love video games, comics, general geekery. I have a thirst for learning languages (even if it feels like I never retain the info lol) and accents… I never thought I’d adore learning accents as much as I have, but I do. I love to cook and bake, and exploring new areas. Yeah, I’m an “Ooh, shiny!” brain kinda gal.

What does the future hold for Hollie Jackson?

Hopefully, more projects. But I would love to branch out into doing video voice over work. And, y’know, a commercial or two might be fun. I’ll always come back to audiobooks, though, because they’re where my real passion lies.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

This one is difficult because, generally? My favorite holidays encompass all three biggies between October 31st and December 25th. Halloween has always been my first love because it’s the one night a year you can truly be *anything* and no one really bats an eye. Plus, free candy. C’mon. Thanksgiving is the one day a year you can really spend time cooking and eating yourself into a food coma… and not feel guilty about it after lol. And Christmas, well, my birthday is 2 days before, my anniversary is 5 days before, and any holiday where I’m getting a gift is a bonus in my book. (Also, I’m a total Autumn/Winter fangirl… so… yeah.)

After narrating Desperately Seeking Sixty-Nine, would you consider narrating more titles by J.D. Frettier in her Green Room Chronicles?

Absolutely! It was a fun project and I’d love to see where the others go in the continuation of the series.

JD Frettier is the nom de plume of USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Theriot. Being a child of the 1960s and Woodstock era, she was elated when a quirky couple spoke to her, requesting their love story be told. It was an offer she couldn’t refuse, so she decided to venture into the world of paranormal via 'channeling' with her debut novella, Desperately Seeking Sixty-Nine. JD’s laptop and mind are now open to new characters. She’s already interviewed and selected one for the next installment of her Green Room Chronicles....so stay tuned!

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ALL CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN

This is a repost of something I wrote on my Facebook wall.

I very seldom make posts like this for fear of backlash or drama. However, as I lay awake in bed tonight after having slept a mere two hours and waking to a horrible nightmare, I can’t get these words and thoughts out of my head. Don’t like what I have to say? Move along to another post, unfollow me, unfriend me, or block me, but I WILL NOT accept any hatred on this post … period.

Let me start with this:

In 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice released a report regarding crimes against women. Their “Female Victims of Violence” report indicated “The rate of intimate partner violence against females declined 53% between 1993 and 2008, from 9.4 victimizations per 1,000 females age 12 or older to 4.3 per 1,000.” Keep in mind this is “nonfatal intimate partner violence.” (Citation at the end of this post.)

This is MY take on the situation. Notice how I say MY? This is my opinion based on incidents I have been told about, personally experienced, and/or witnessed. That number is down because fewer women report the crime. Why do fewer women report the crime? Because the justice system and society are not fair to those women.

Let me elaborate.

Incident #1

Woman is publicly raped in a parking lot at a club while people gawk, point, and laugh at her, thinking she’s drunk and probably having a good ol’ time with her “boyfriend.” Woman gets a call from a “friend” the next day (just as she’s made the decision to file a report with the police) and this “friend” tells her that her behavior is unacceptable and people will take note of it and “talk.” Woman decides she will not be taken seriously and refrains from reporting the rape, afraid it will only make things worse.

Incident #2

Woman is gang-raped on a school campus and the men responsible aren’t formally charged because no one will come forward as witnesses due to the social standing of the offenders in question. Woman can’t go anywhere without people ridiculing her or calling her a liar or a whore.

Incident #3

Woman receives over 300 text messages and phone calls from a man in a matter of a few hours. She files harassment charges. Man hires attorney. Woman provides all evidence requested by the court and man’s charges are reduced to “disturbance of the peace” and he’s let off with unsupervised probation.

Incident #4

Woman files restraining order based on stalking and harassment. Man violates restraining order and woman files report with evidence. Woman is talking with the police when the man begins sending even more threats. Woman tries to tell police it is happening again and they respond with, “Just because you are in a text war with someone does not mean it is a police matter. Grow up.” Woman attempts to show police the restraining order and they dismiss her, telling her to leave or she is going to jail for wasting their time.

Incident #5

Woman gets a call from the prosecuting attorney regarding the charges she filed pertaining to Incident #4. Prosecutor asks for evidence and states they are going to fight for the woman. States they will ask for anger management and other programs in lieu of jail time. Woman agrees to terms. Case lasts over a year because the man never goes to court. He’s arrested a few times for failure to appear but always gets out on bond. Judge issues final warrant and man pays bond and gets yet another court date. Man goes to court, changes plea, and gets a plea bargain. Plea bargain is fines that are credited out of bond previously paid. Anything left over from that goes back to the man.

Incident #6

Woman’s car is vandalized with slashed tires and shattered window. Woman calls police but they never investigate it, citing “unusually high vandalism lately.” Keep in mind this is AFTER woman explains history with the ex-partner.

Incident #7

Woman is raped at a party and later told in court had she kept her legs together, it would not have happened. Media then exploits her story for the world to see. While many still support her, woman is still mocked and judged.

Incident #8

Woman is physically assaulted in her own home and the man damages her property. The neighbors call the police and the man is taken away, only to be released the next morning with domestic assault charges. Man hires an attorney. Woman approaches the court and provides evidence and a written statement to the prosecutor. The prosecutor ignores said statement and ends up reducing the charges to “disturbance of the peace” because the perpetrator’s attorney is an old law school buddy.

Incident #9

Man threatens woman’s life and the lives of her loved ones. Woman reports it to the police. Police tell her if she does not have hard evidence, there is nothing they can do. Text messages and emails don’t count. They tell her he has to physically do harm to her or her family in order for them to take steps in filing charges.

Do you see where I am going with this? Society and our justice system FAIL women when it comes to violence against them. They have a “boys will be boys” attitude or blame it on the woman because of how much alcohol she consumed, how she dressed, or in some cases, how much she actually trusted her partner. Or maybe they make her feel like she’s crazy or insignificant. Because this is the case, fewer women will ever even report a crime against them for the sake of not having to go through all of this. Being violated—whether it be physically, verbally, or emotionally—takes enough of a toll on the mind and spirit, but add in the mental anguish of not being taken seriously and feeling safe and supported by our laws and you have a recipe for even more disastrous effects on the human psyche.

Now, I can be any of these women or I can be none of them. That is not the point. The point is, ANY of the women in these scenarios don’t deserve the treatment they received. Why not hold the perpetrator responsible for their actions? Why do we continue to let things like this slip through the cracks? No, I do not believe the numbers are going down. Are the statistics correct? Yes, they are, but they are only REPORTED offenses. I do not believe they are a true reflection of what is really going on.

I stated before and I will say it again: These are MY thoughts and opinions. Any disparaging comments or remarks will result in immediate removal from my thread and my profile. Intelligent conversation is always welcome, but no hate will be tolerated.

ALPHA PREZ AND THE FIRST LADY’S SECRET WEAPON

Criminals are literally getting away with murder while career congressmen sit in their ivory towers, wringing their hands, calling each other names, and pointing fingers.

The American people are fed up with the same old empty promises from politicians. It’s time to elect a president who will kick some ass.

Enter Jake Hammer, the sexy-as-hell senator and presidential hopeful from Massachusetts. His stance on combating terrorism is as hard as his abs. His commitment to pound purveyors of corruption into submission makes his constituents swoon. His vow to nail criminals leaves female citizens breathless.

With a landslide sweep of the Electoral College, Jake and his mysterious new bride Setta are heading to the White House, but neither the president nor the first lady are what they seem. When a dangerous enemy from his past returns, their marriage may not be the only thing under fire. The country he worked so hard to save could go up in smoke.

Now, more than ever, the United States needs a hero.

Alpha Prez to the rescue.

* This action/adventure story contains adult language, a sizzling side of hot sex, and lots of law breaking. It is not appropriate for readers under the age of 18.

** No politicians, political parties, or feelings (I hope!) were harmed during the making of this novel. This story was written in good fun and is not intended to push any political agenda.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON NOW!!

Valerie Dunaway is a former socialite who has hidden from the public eye for years, due to a horrific attack that left her scarred—physically and emotionally.

When a strange masked man makes himself at home with her, she’s unable to run. She calls the cops, but the agoraphobic won’t go into protective custody, so Detective Hollerman calls the only people he trusts: Pierce Securities.

Quinten Pierce is a Renaissance man—artist, lawyer, fighter—but his latest assignment has him losing his ever-present control. He’s got one fight left in his career, and although he can’t wait for it to be over, his opponent seems to have ties to Valerie, thus forcing him to hold on until he finds out exactly who he’s working with.

With the help of the Pierce team, the scarred princess and the gentle giant must silence the murmurs of the past that threaten their future.

EXCERPT

They worked side by side for hours, with Quinten doing periodic checks through her quarters. Her mask continuously slipped, and Valerie continuously adjusted it. She was working on smaller, detailed pieces of her bird houses, making little shutters for the window holes, and the small reciprocating saw she used was difficult to see through the eye holes. Finally, Quinten had enough.

He’d cut all his pieces and ground the edges smooth and had begun taping them to solder together. But he finally stopped with a sigh.

“Do you have to wear the mask? Valerie, I’ve seen you. It’s obvious you don’t typically work with it, and you’re liable to hurt yourself because you’re limiting your vision with it on.” He took a step closer, and she stiffened, so he froze, looking at her eyes through the holes of her mask. “You’re fucking stunning. With or without it. Just take it off,” he said quietly, then held his breath.

She was a bird again, ready to take off in flight at any moment. He longed to yank it off her face and bury his mouth in the softness of her lips, but he relegated that thought to imagination only. Her eyes darted around wildly, and her hands twisted in front of her. She waged an inner war, and Quinten had no idea what was happening inside her head.

“It’s just us,” he reiterated. “I won’t even tell anybody if you don’t want.” Lowering his voice, he reminded her, “I’ve seen you without it.”

Her mask today was the purple one, and it went with the lavender swirly patterns in the long dress she wore. Her fingers trembled as she reached for it and slowly peeled it off her face, inch by inch. When she had it off, her eyes were closed as it dropped to the ground.

Quinten took a step closer, his eyes gazing at her mouth, plump and lush and utterly kissable.

“Look at me, Valerie.”

Painfully slowly, she opened her eyes, and they made a tortuous path up his body before landing on his face.

Quinten tried fisting his hands at his sides. He tried to shove them in his pockets. He tried putting them behind his back. But they wouldn’t mind him. Instead, they traveled to her head, cupping her cheek with one palm and her neck with the other. His thumb traced her bottom lip, and her tongue snaked out to wet it.

Valerie’s eyes were the greenest of green, like Caribbean pools at the base of waterfalls you saw in magazines. They watered with uncertainty, and Quinten would have done anything to reassure her.

“Fucking stunning.”

She let out a wild sob and grabbed the front of his shirt, yanking him toward her. So he kissed her. And promptly lost his mind.

Her lips were so soft and warm, and as soon as they touched, she let out a sobbing cry. Instinctively, Quinten knew she needed him to show her exactly how beautiful she really was.

He could only imagine her life up until now—only being worthy because of her beauty and then having her perception of that beauty taken away in such a horrific way. So horrific, she felt she deserved to be shut away from the public eye when she was used to being in the public eye at all times.

So Quinten kissed her for all he was worth. It began with a melding of lips, just tasting her sweetness against his lips. Then he tickled her lips with his tongue and when she opened, he swooped in.

It was dizzying, the way she tasted—so fucking sweet. He grounded himself by pressing his body against hers, pushing her up against the workbench, but it wasn’t enough.

He would never get enough.

He tangled one hand in her blonde locks while the other went around her waist and pressed her fully against him. It was tacky, but he pressed his erection into her hip because he needed her to see somebody wanted her. Desired her.

Needed her.

His lips were wet with her tears, and Quinten wanted her to tell him why she was crying. He needed her honesty—with him as much as herself. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers, looking into the depths of her green eyes.

“Why the tears, Princess?”

She laughed but sobbed at the same time, and he used his thumb to wipe the track down her face.

“Because you’re not disgusted.”

Had someone told her she was disgusting? That right there broke Quinten’s heart, and all thoughts of waiting until this was over evaporated in one lust-hazed instant.

“Let’s go back to your bed, and I’ll show you just how not disgusting you are.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anne has written her entire life and has the boxes of angst-filled journals and poetry to prove it. She’s been writing for public consumption for the past several years. Currently, she has four romance series. In Stories of Serendipity, she explores real people living real lives in small town Texas in a contemporary romance setting. In The Four Winds, she chronicles God’s four closest archangels, Uriel, Gabriel, Raphael, and Michael, falling in love and becoming human. In Pierce Securities, she gives us Ryan, Evan, Miriam, Zack, Quinten, and Simon. Her newest series, Book B!tches, is all about a group of women in Mystic, Texas who get into all sorts of shenanigans. She lives in rural East Texas with her husband and children in her own private oasis, where she prides herself in her complete lack of social skills, choosing instead to live with the people inside her head.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Cass Adams comes from a long line of crazy, and she's no exception. Now that Cass is pregnant, she fears passing along the family burden to her unborn child. But that's only one of Cass' problems: the other is the man she ran over with her truck, who has come to Deacon looking for a compatible liver donor for his alcoholic father, Freddy Adams. Thirty-five years ago, Freddy left Deacon without a trace, leaving behind his wife and two sons: Roland, Cass' first husband, and Clay, the father of her baby.

Clay Adams is your average laid back worm farmer, but the news of Freddy's whereabouts and the notice that he has a half-brother he's never known force him to address the anger and resentment of abandonment he has kept in check for many years.

Call Me Daddy is a story of family, the secrets they keep, and to what lengths someone would go to protect them.

Kelly Stone Gamble was born and raised in a small Midwestern town but as an adult, became a city girl. As a member of the faculty at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, she now moves between her homes in Henderson, Nevada and Idabel, Oklahoma allowing her to enjoy the best of both worlds.